Intimate Relationships, Marriages, and Families

Ninth Edition

Nancy Stinnett, Nick Stinnett, Mary Kay DeGenova, and F. Philip Rice

Now fully revised and published by Oxford University Press, Intimate Relationships, Marriages, and Families, Ninth Edition, is an accessible, comprehensive introduction to marriage and family with a focus on strengthening families and effective coping strategies. This text combines the most current research with an emphasis on family background and diversity. Each chapter concludes with a section on public policy and critical-thinking questions.

New to this Edition:

Revised and updated material, including current research and statistics and newly emerging topics

Integrated coverage of cultural diversity throughout the text

Updated and expanded information on ethnic and cultural diversity in families, coping with depression, and the relationship between family life and economics

A significantly expanded treatment of financial management, with practical suggestions and insights in Chapter 8

Intimate Relationships, Marriages, and Families

Ninth Edition

Nancy Stinnett, Nick Stinnett, Mary Kay DeGenova, and F. Philip Rice

Description

Now fully revised and published by Oxford University Press, Intimate Relationships, Marriages, and Families, Ninth Edition, is an accessible, comprehensive introduction to marriage and family with a focus on strengthening families and effective coping strategies. This text combines the most current research with an emphasis on family background and diversity. Each chapter concludes with a section on public policy and critical-thinking questions.

CHAPTER 7: MARITAL RELATIONSHIPSOVER THE FAMILY LIFE CYCLELearning Objectives Marriage and Personal Happiness The Family Life Cycle Data on Family Life Cycles Changes in Marital Satisfaction Gay and Lesbian Families Adjustments Early in Marriage --Coping Feature: Half Full or Half Empty? Marital Adjustment Tasks Problems during Three Early Stages Adjustments to Parenthood Parenthood and Stress --Cultural Perspective: Individualism versus Familism Fatherhood and the Life Course Adjustments During Middle Adulthood Marital Adjustments The Postparental Years Adjustments During Late Adulthood Developmental Tasks --Family Strengths Perspective: Go with the Flow Marital Satisfaction Divorce Parent-Adult Child Relationships Widowhood --Personal Perspective: Widowhood --At Issue Today: Who Cares for Older People? --A Question of Policy: Nationalized/Universal Health Care Summary Key Terms Questions for Thought For Further Reading

CHAPTER 8: WORK, FAMILY ROLES, AND MATERIAL RESOURCESLearning Objectives The American Family Today Work, Stress, and the Family Positive Benefits of Dual-Earner Families Needed: More Time --Coping Feature: Time Pressure The Parents' Child-Care Role Household Labor --At Issue Today: The Family and Medical Leave Act Marital Adjustment Dual-Career Families --Family Strengths Perspective: Keep Things in Perspective Material Resources Financial Strains on Families The Gender Wage Gap Families and Debt Managing Finances Poverty and Family Life Measuring Poverty The Effects of Poverty on Families --Race or Economics? Homelessness --HomelessThe Feminization of Poverty Welfare and the Family The Widening Gap between the Rich and the Poor --Earned Income Tax Credit Summary Key Terms Questions for Thought For Further Reading

CHAPTER 9: POWER, DECISION MAKING, AND COMMUNICATIONLearning Objectives The Meaning of Power Why People Want Power Self-Actualization Social Expectations Family-of-Origin Influences Psychological Need Sources of Power --Cultural Perspective: Wearing a Veil Cultural Norms Gender Norms Economic Resources Education and Knowledge Personality Differences Communication Ability Emotional Factors Physical Stature and Strength Life Circumstances Children Marital Power Patterns --Coping Feature: The Need for Control Power Processes Power Tactics That Help Power Tactics That Can Help or Harm Power Tactics That Harm --Personal Perspective: How Do You Stop a Psychological Game? Consequences of Power Struggles Communication Verbal and Nonverbal Communication Barriers to Communication --At Issue Today: Facebook, Text Messaging, and Beer Improving Communication Skills Taking Time Motivation and Concern Empathy ContentSelf-Disclosure Clarity Listening Feedback Arguing Constructively --Family Strengths Perspective: Listen --A Question of Policy: The Power of Federal Judges Summary Key Terms Questions for Thought For Further Reading

CHAPTER 15: CONFLICT, FAMILY CRISES, AND CRISIS MANAGEMENTLearning Objectives Conflict and Children The Family Environment Interparent Conflict Sources of Conflict Personal Sources Physical Sources Interpersonal Sources Situational or Environmental Sources Methods of Dealing with Conflict Avoidance --What Would You Like to Change about the Way You Deal with Conflict? Ventilation and Catharsis Constructive and Destructive Conflicts Levels of Marital Conflict Model Family Crises Stage 1: Onset Stage 2: Disorganization --Search for Meaning in Tough Times Stage 3: Reorganization What Helps?The Crisis of Infidelity Reasons for Infidelity --Affair-Proofing Your Marriage --Cheating in Cyberspace Affairs as Crises for Married People The Crisis of Economic Distress Types of Economic Distress Effects on Individuals and on Family Relationships Coping with Economic Distress --Cultural Perspective: The Crisis of ImmigrationThe Crisis of Addictions Characteristics of Addiction Reasons for Addiction Effects on the Family Overcoming Addiction: The Addicted Person Overcoming Addiction: The Family and the Addicted Person Working TogetherThe Crisis of Violence and Abuse Factors Related to Violence Child Maltreatment Treatment for Spouse and Child Abuse Detecting Child Maltreatment Elder Abuse The Crisis of Death and Grief --Abused and Neglected Children Summary Key Terms Questions for Thought For Further Reading

CHAPTER 16: THE FAMILY AND DIVORCELearning Objectives Probability of Divorce: Social and Demographic Factors Marital Age Religion Socioeconomic Status Geographic Area Parental Divorce The Presence of Children Quality of Marriage and Parent-Child RelationshipsCauses of Marital BreakupSpouses' Perceptions The Marital Disaffection Process The Divorce Decision Alternatives to Divorce --Getting Divorced Marriage Counseling Marriage Enrichment Separation --Why Marriage Counseling Sometimes Does Not Succeed No-Fault Divorce and Mediation --Adjustment to Divorce Adult Adjustments after Divorce Emotional Trauma Societal Attitudes toward Divorce Loneliness and Social Readjustment Adjustments to Custody Arrangements Finances Realignment of Responsibilities and Work Roles Contacts with the Ex-Spouse --Coping Feature: Anger Kinship Interaction Children and Divorce Child Custody --Forgiveness and Conflict-Resolution Skills Child Support Visitation Rights Reactions of Children Adjustments of Children--Divorce and the Single-Mother Family Summary Key Terms Questions for Thought For Further Reading

Intimate Relationships, Marriages, and Families

Nancy Stinnett, Nick Stinnett, Mary Kay DeGenova, and F. Philip Rice

Author Information

Nancy Stinnett is Instructor Emerita of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Alabama.

Nick Stinnett is Professor Emeritus of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Alabama.

Mary Kay DeGenova is a former Associate Professor of Family Studies at Central Michigan University and the University of New Hampshire.

F. Philip Rice was Professor Emeritus at the The University of Maine, Orono.

Intimate Relationships, Marriages, and Families

Ninth Edition

Nancy Stinnett, Nick Stinnett, Mary Kay DeGenova, and F. Philip Rice

Reviews and Awards

"Intimate Relationships, Marriages, and Families is a dynamic text that thoughtfully addresses relationship issues of mate selection, marriage, divorce, and remarriage. The authors provide excellent research throughout the text and challenge the reader to examine the way they make choices."--Anita Glee Bertram, University of Central Oklahoma

"Intimate Relationships, Marriages, and Families not only offers research and information about challenges and changes in families, but also how to cope with them. The personal perspective helps students to apply what they are learning to their own lives."--Christine Nortz, Florida Gateway College